A Run for Her Money

This Georgia Tech grad works at a small marketing firm as communications coordinator. She manages promotional events such as Blue Planet Run

by Patricia Breed

Related Items

• Uphill and Down in San Francisco
• Building on a Degree
• What It Takes to Be a H.E.R.O.

Patricia Breed
Communications Coordinator, ignition
BS, Class of 2006
Georgia Institute of Technology College of Management

Story Tools

• post a comment
• e-mail this story
• print this story
• order a reprint
• digg this
• save to del.icio.us

On the ignition organizational chart you will find my name under the title of "communications coordinator." However, I wear many hats from day to day. I conduct communications/media relations-related tasks such as writing press releases and executing viral marketing campaigns, but I also manage promotional events, brainstorm ideas for potential clients, and jump into any area where my assistance is needed. Working at a small company requires an "all-hands-on-deck" mentality, and ignition is no exception.

Ignition is an experiential marketing and media resource built on a passion for bringing brands to life around the world. The agency works with its corporate partners to create strategically focused and relevant brand messages that leverage the power of the human touch.

My current focus is building a multimillion dollar nonprofit organization, the Blue Planet Run Foundation, focused on global sustainability. The Foundation's first initiative is to bring safe drinking water to 200 million people by the year 2027. The signature event for the cause is the run.

The inaugural Blue Planet Run will begin in New York City in June, 2007. A team of 20 runners will circumnavigate the globe running relay style, traveling more than 12,000 miles in less than 100 days. The route roughly follows the 41st parallel after leaving New York City and will pass through 16 different countries before returning to the starting point.

I will travel with the relay team through the entire event and be responsible for local media management, sponsor relations, and special event execution. There is a lot to be done before the run begins, and I am fortunate to be involved in a majority of the planning and preparation on a daily basis.

8:25 a.m.—Time to leave the house for my four-mile drive to the office. Living close to work and not having to fight Atlanta traffic is great!

8:35 a.m.—I make a quick stop at my favorite local coffee spot, Octane, for a medium, non-fat café au lait.

8:45 a.m.—Get to my desk, unpack the computer, and do a quick e-mail check while reading through my personalized Google homepage for any exciting headlines.

9:00 a.m.—It's time for the "daily huddle." Every weekday our company has a short staff meeting we call the huddle. Everyone in the office, from the chairman to the interns, piles into our conference room and the satellite offices all dial into our conference line. We update each other on our respective projects, share key learnings, and give shout-outs.

9:30 a.m.—I check in with my boss. No need to leave the desk since we sit about 10 feet from each other. In fact, the majority of our project team sits in the same open space, facilitating collaboration.

9:45 a.m.—Begin tackling the to-do list. My first order of business is writing a press release about the Blue Planet Run Test Event. Eighteen runners traveled relay style around an 80-mile loop for a 48-hour period, allowing us to test our logistical assumptions. I drove the 9:00 p.m. to 3:00 a.m. shift. It was a blast!

11:00 a.m.—I attend a brainstorming session for a potential new client with a new product. I was specifically invited because I fall into the product's target demographic.

12:15 p.m.—Head to lunch with the senior V.P. of business development for catching up and a little mentoring. Keeping in close contact with senior level management here is easy, another perk of a small company.

1:20 p.m.—I'm back at my desk for an e-mail check and a few minutes' worth of work on the press release I started this morning.

1:45 p.m.—The Blue Planet Run team gathers in the conference room for our weekly call with the Blue Planet Run Foundation. This call allows our team to update the foundation on our progress, discuss any strategy changes, and talk through big decisions.